Gilmanton dog gets through electric fence & bites woman

GILMANTON — One of two women walking along Halls Hill Road yesterday was bitten by a German Shepherd that was able to breach the electric fence surrounding the owner's property.Police Chief Joe Collins said one woman had a bite that broke the skin and a second woman said a dog grabbed the sweatshirt she had around her waist. The woman with the bite was taken to the hospital by the other woman.Collins said three dogs — two German Shepherds and a St. Bernard – came running toward the women and may have been startled when the family's children started running after them and yelling at them to come back. He said the battery on the electric fence was apparently low.He said the biting dog was quarantined at home for 10 days and must be seen by a veterinarian. All of the dogs are current on their shots.Collins said the incident is still under investigation and the owner will be cited under a state statute regarding dogs that are a nuisance, menace or vicious. He said because the skin was broken, this is categorized as vicious.He said this is the first time any of the family's dogs have bitten someone although the family has been summoned in the past for nuisance complaints regarding the dogs roaming."That's why they installed the fence," said Collins, noting it had been a long time since the original summons.He said the incident is still under investigation.